A providential rescue operation in recent days, in Caprera, by the Carabinieri Forestali - who have a permanent post on Garibaldi Island - of a female Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus).

To the soldiers who rescued him, the bird immediately appeared to be in a condition of evident difficulty and debilitated although he had no injuries. Once recovered, he was taken to a veterinarian who gave him first aid.

The Marsh Harrier was subsequently transported and admitted to the Bonassai wildlife recovery facility, managed by the Forestas Authority. Here the hawk began a course of treatment and monitoring that should bring it back to free flight .

The marsh harrier, a species protected by the Birds Directive, measures up to 55 cm, has a weight that can reach 600 grams and a wingspan of up to 125 cm. In addition to Sardinia and Caprera as in this specific case, it also nests in Tuscany and northern Italy, particularly in the lake region.

It is a predator and is present with migratory and wintering populations. Its monitoring is of conservation interest and, as for all predators, its presence is an indicator of ecosystem health, as it is in turn linked to the presence of its prey.

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